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The Human Abstract

By William Blake

Topics: classic

Pity would be no more     If we did not make somebody poor,     And Mercy no more could be     If all were as happy as we.     And mutual fear brings Peace,     Till the selfish loves increase;     Then Cruelty knits a snare,     And spreads his baits with care.     He sits down with his holy fears,     And waters the ground with tears;     Then Humility takes its root     Underneath his foot.     Soon spreads the dismal shade     Of Mystery over his head,     And the caterpillar and fly     Feed on the Mystery.     And it bears the fruit of Deceit,     Ruddy and sweet to eat,     And the raven his nest has made     In its thickest shade.     The gods of the earth and sea     Sought through nature to find this tree,     But their search was all in vain:     There grows one in the human Brain.

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"Pity would be no more..."

This evocative piece by William Blake, titled "The Human Abstract", represents a masterful exploration of classic. The lines capture a profound emotional resonance... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

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Author:William Blake

Public Domain: This work is in the public domain and free to use.

"Pity would be no more..." by William Blake

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

William Blake

About William Blake

William Blake (1757–1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker who created his own illuminated books. His collections "Songs of Innocence" and "Songs of Experience" contain poems like "The Tyger" and "London," exploring innocence, oppression, and visionary imagination.

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